Community celebrates hospital project

PENN YAN—Community members and Soldiers & Sailors Hospital officials gathered last week in Penn Yan to celebrate the success of the hospital’s just completed $9 million renovation project.
Phase 1 began in 2008 with work done both inside and outside. This was followed later in the same year by a second phase and the final phase, recently completed, focused on the Emergency Department area including expansion and upgrades, separate waiting and registration areas for Emergency patients and a dedicated ambulance entrance from Liberty Street.
Funding for the project included a $1.5 million Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers grant, $4 million from the Finger Lakes Health Foundation, $2 million from the Soldiers & Sailors building fund and $1.5 million Cornerstone of Care Campaign, which secured community support for this initiative.
The Cornerstone of Care campaign surpassed its $1.5 million goal with $1,538,518 contributed. A total of 832 individuals, companies and organizations donated to the Cornerstone of Care Campaign and plaques recognizing major donors were unveiled during the celebration. Harold Gray, overall campaign director, led the many committees of hospital and community volunteers who assisted with the campaign.
Rich Pierle and Taylor Fitch served as co-chairmen of the Cornerstone of Care Campaign. Pierle spoke about the project after the event. He said planning began in January 2008 and it was decided to get $1.5 million from the community. He said, “I thought the goal was rather lofty at the time, there were so many other worthy projects raising money. As countless times before the community came through in support of our hospital. It goes to show how generous the community is.”
Fitch said, “I want to stress our thank you to the community. Their contributions were really extraordinary. This was a very difficult time to fund raise and we were happy and elated to reach the goal in these tough times.”